Florida – In a horrifying act of domestic violence in Florida that authorities say followed months of escalating terror, a 69-year-old mother, identified as Rosemary J., was brutally stabbed to death by her schizophrenic 22-year-old son, identified as Devin J.—the same man she had begged the courts to protect her from. Devin is now facing a second-degree murder charge in the killing of Rosemary, who was found stabbed repeatedly in the head and neck inside her home.
Police say the slaying occurred on Tuesday, just months after Rosemary had obtained a court-ordered protection order against her son. In court filings, she had warned that he suffered from schizophrenia, had been violent before, and was becoming increasingly dangerous. But the warnings went unheard—until it was too late. Court records paint a deeply troubling picture of the relationship between Rosemary and her son. In January 2024, she told authorities that Devin had hit her with a closed fist on the head, thrown her walker across the room, and smashed her cell phone when she tried to call for help. A few months later, in March, he allegedly grabbed and bruised her arms, spit in her face, and again became violent.
In the same petition, she wrote, “Devin lives with me but now I am staying at my daughter’s because I don’t feel safe around him.” She added that Devin had no income, was unable to work due to his mental illness, and had stopped taking his prescribed schizophrenia medication. On one occasion, he allegedly cut the home’s power to leave her trapped in her power recliner, rendering her unable to move until she managed to use a laundry basket to retrieve her walker and get to a neighbor’s house for help. The protection order was granted in March, but the situation didn’t improve. According to police, Devin continued to live in the home, and the violent behavior never stopped.
On Tuesday, Rosemary’s family members grew worried after being unable to reach her. According to police, they went to her home, where they were met with a scene of horror: bloody footprints on the floor and Rosemary’s body, lifeless, with multiple stab wounds to the head and neck. Officers soon identified Devin as the suspect. He had already fled the scene and was later found miles away from the victim’s home, still wearing blood-covered shoes, with bloodstains inside and outside his vehicle.
When deputies attempted a traffic stop, Devin exited his vehicle and fled on foot. A K9 unit was deployed to subdue him after he violently resisted arrest, allegedly striking the K9 and trying to grab an officer’s firearm during the takedown. He was eventually taken into custody and remains held in the county jail, awaiting his first court date. Police Chief A. Sizemore spoke about the killing during a Thursday press conference, stating, “Ultimately, what we want is justice for the victim and her family.” He also confirmed that the family had reported past domestic violence and substance abuse issues tied to Devin.
What makes the tragedy even more devastating is how preventable it seemed. Rosemary had done what victims are often told to do—report the violence, seek legal protection, and speak up. But despite her efforts, help never came. Now, her death stands as a painful reminder of the gaps in mental health intervention, legal enforcement of protection orders, and the real dangers some families live with behind closed doors. As Devin awaits trial, the community mourns the loss of a mother whose final months were filled with fear, pleading for protection that never truly arrived.
